Latest news with #Basil
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Children's books: the best new releases for the summer holidays
From plucky bats to epic facts, there's something for everyone in this selection of summer reading from Clare Fulton and Ruth Boreham Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ages 0-5 Basil Dreams Big by Lu Fraser (Simon & Schuster £7.99) is a charming, clever rhyming story with a positive message about keeping going when things don't seem to be working out and also pushing yourself to make an effort for others. Basil is a bat who doesn't believe he can fly. Repeated attempts have resulted in miserable failure, but when a violent storm puts his friend Moth at risk, Basil finds the strength to do what needs to be done and fly his friend to safety. A joyful read with funny, endearing illustrations by Sarah Warburton. Basil Dreams Big | Contributed Where Did She Go? by Cariad Lloyd (Hodder Children's Books £12.99) has poignant and touching illustrations by Tom Percival and is a beautiful reflection on a precious relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. When Grandma dies people use all kinds of expressions and terminology to explain her absence, but it is only when Mum realises that her daughter is looking for her 'lost' grandparent that they have a conversation about what it means to die and reach the shared understanding that, while Grandma is no longer physically present, to love and to have known her love is the most special thing of all. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Where Did She Go? | Contributed Once I was A Tree by Eoin McLaughlin (Nosy Crow £12.99) is a fabulous picture book explaining how trees are grown from seed and transformed into magical books containing the stories we read, enjoy and cherish. Perfect for all book lovers, this one has enchanting illustrations by Guilherme Karsten and while informative it also has a quirky sense of humour. An illustration from Once I Was A Tree | Contributed I'm Going to Make a Friend by Darren Chetty (Little Tiger £12.99) introduces children to the steps involved and things to be considered in forging positive relationships and building and sharing friendships. With gorgeous pictures by Sandhya Prabhat this is a delightful read, encouraging young children to think in simple language about the wants and needs of others as well as their own likes and dislikes. - CF Ages 6-8 In Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy (Nosy Crow, £8.99), Nova is a scientist with her own secret lab who is determined to use her genius to invent something to get rid of all the plastic pollution in the world. The trouble comes when Chomp, her invention, gets out of control and eats everything in sight, growing with every bite. Will Nova and her sister be able to stop him? This is a funny and energetic graphic novel, with bright and bold illustrations featuring a fierce, confident and funny protagonist. It also comes with step-by-step guides showing how to draw your very own Supa Nova and Chomp and extra information on the science behind plastic pollution. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Supa Nova | Contributed Did you know that some humpback whales use mountains in the ocean (seamounts) to navigate on their long migrations? Or that a Victorian inventor created a device using leeches to predict when a storm was coming? These are just two of the incredible facts that fill the pages of Epic FACTopia!: Follow the Trail of 400 Extreme Facts by Rose Davidson, illustrated by Andy Smith (What on Earth Publishing Ltd, £10.99). Each fact is linked to the next so you can go through the pages following that trail – or follow one of the other branches that take you to different but still connected facts. From geography to transport to deadly animals, weird laws, stunts, food and more, there is something here for everyone (and a handy contents page/index if you're looking for something specific). The facts are short and easy to read, with much to visually explore as well, making it a great book for children who are moving beyond picture books. - RB Ages 9-12 In The House at the Edge of the World by Nadine Aisha Jassat, illustrated by Flavia Sorrantino (Orion Children's Books, £8.99) Amal and her family lose their home but then receive a mysterious letter telling them of a house they have inherited from a relative no one has heard of before. Just as they are settling into their new life, however, two people arrive who claim the house is theirs and say they are going to destroy it. Can Amal learn not to listen to her Thinking Thoughts (anxiety), unravel the secrets of the house, and save it in time? Written in beautiful verse, this is a story that explores family, mental health, belonging and the importance of words. Humorous and empowering, Botticelli's Apprentice: A Graphic Novel by Ursula Murray Husted (Quill Tree Books, £10.99) tells the story of Mella, who looks after chickens but wants to become an apprentice to the famous painter Botticelli, something girls are not allowed to do in 15th century Florence. There is so much to see in this book that you could read it again and again and spot something new every time. With 'Art Notes' at the back, explaining some of the real history behind the tale, it would also make a great starting point for classroom activities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Incredible Journeys: Discovery, Adventure, Danger, Endurance by explorer Levison Wood, illustrated by Sam Brewster (Hodder Children's Books, £10.99) showcases 20 epic expeditions. Brewster brings them to life with a map of each journey and cultural details of that region, and throughout the book Levison shares his own experiences, and also those of other adventurers outside of the 20 epic expeditions. It's not just the usual men rounded up here either – it is great to see many women mentioned as well. With a page which tells you 'how to be an explorer', perhaps this book will inspire your child to start exploring the world around them, near or far. - RB MONTHLY BOOK SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM SCOTTISH BOOK TRUST Kickstart your summer reading with Scottish Book Trust's monthly book subscriptions, curated by best-selling authors including Val McDermid, Sara Sheridan, Ken MacLeod and Kirsty Logan. Each month, your beautifully wrapped mystery book will be delivered, along with exclusive postcards from the curator, book recommendations and more. A children's picture book subscription has also been created by the team of experts behind Bookbug.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tovino Thomas trolls Basil Joseph: ‘Did you think you'd be spared, kid?; Check post here
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Mollywood actors Basil Joseph and Tovino Thomas hold a special bond off-screen, and recently, a throwback video of the 'Minnal Murali' director has taken the internet by storm. A childhood video of filmmaker and actor Basil Joseph, taken from the popular Malayalam quiz show, has gone viral, becoming a social media sensation. Basil Joseph's birthday celebrations The clip, affectionately dubbed the 'Kuthippokkal' video due to Basil's lively expressions and mannerisms, has long been a source of internet memes and affectionate trolling. As it made the rounds yet again, fans and celebrities alike joined the fun, reacting to the now-iconic footage of ninth-grade Basil competing with full intensity. Basil shares a childhood photo in response Responding to the renewed attention, Basil took to social media and posted a throwback photo from his childhood, showing him holding a guitar. Alongside it, he cheekily wrote, 'Not just Ashwamedham, had a bit of music in me too, guys.' Celebs join the fun with witty comments Basil's post triggered a wave of hilarious celebrity reactions. Actor Tovino Thomas, who shares a close friendship with Basil, commented, "സ്വയം കീഴടങ്ങിയാൽ വെറുതെ വിടുമെന്ന് കരുതിയോ കുഞ്ഞേ?" ('Did you think you'd be spared just because you surrendered willingly, kid?') Actor Siju Sunny joined in, asking, 'So that means another song is coming? Was this on Kochu TV?' ("അപ്പൊ ഒരു പാട്ട് കൂടി വരാൻ ഉണ്ടെന്ന് മനസ്സിലായി. കൊച്ചു ടീവീൽ ആണോ?") Veteran actor Suresh Krishna added his own twist with, 'Didn't know… no one told me anything,' referring to a movie dialogue. Check out the post here. Basil Joseph's work front On the work front, Basil Joseph was last seen in the crime comedy film 'Pravinkoodu Shappu', which received decent reviews from the audience. His recent film 'Maranamass' also received much acclaim from the audiences who love black humor. Basil Joseph's previous successful outing was the drama movie 'Ponman' , which was based on GR Indugopan's novel 'Naalanchu Cheruppakkar'. 'Ponman' received much praise from the audiences even after its OTT release. Meanwhile, Tovino Thomas was recently seen in the crime thriller film 'Narivetta'. Receiving decent reviews from the audiences, 'Narivetta' performed well at the box office.
Irish Times
07-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Gazpacho with black olive, basil and feta
Serves : 2 Course : Lunch, Dinner Prep Time : 1 hr Ingredients 500g cherry vine tomatoes 2 cloves garlic Sea salt and black pepper 60g leftover bread, crust removed, torn into small pieces About 200ml vegetable stock, cooled 5tbs good quality olive oil Juice of half a lemon 1tsp sugar ½tsp tabasco For the topping: 1tbs good quality olive oil 50g pitted black olives, chopped Handful picked basil leaves 30g feta cheese, crumbled Preheat the oven to 140 degrees. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and place on a lined oven tray along with the garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for one hour at 140 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place the cherry tomatoes, garlic, bread, vegetable stock, olive oil, lemon juice, sugar and Tabasco into a blender and blend until smooth. You can add more stock if needed until it reaches the desired consistency. Cover and place in the fridge for two hours before serving but it can be left in the fridge overnight. To serve, spoon into bowls. Top with some more olive oil, black olives, basil leaves and some crumbled feta.
The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Iraq vs South Korea — Preview, IRQ v KOR head-to-head, live-streaming info before AFC 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Iraq is all set to host the South Korea in the third round match of 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers on Thursday at the Basra International Stadium. AFC FIFA World Cup 2026 third round points table: Which teams will make the cut from Asia? Both nations are placed in the top four of Group B and are still harbouring aspirations of securing their spot at the 2026 World Cup. With just two Group B fixtures left to play, Iraq remains in contention to qualify for its first World Cup since 1986, although its hopes of securing a top-two finish is hanging in the balance following a dip in recent form. After picking up seven points from the opening three qualifiers (W2 D1), Iraq has since come out on top in only one of its last five matches (D2 L2), with a 1-0 win away against Oman followed by a 2-2 home draw with Kuwait and a 2-1 defeat to Palestine in March. Ranked 59th in the world by FIFA, Iraq currently sits third in Group B and require just one point from its final two fixtures to guarantee its place in the fourth round of qualifying. On the other hand, South Korea can secure top spot in Group B and will follow fellow Asian nations Japan and Iran in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup if it beats Iraq, and Jordan fails to win against Oman. Predicted XIs Iraq: Basil; Sulaka, Youni, Hashem; Bayesh, Al-Ammari; Rashid, Yahyal; Amyn, Jasim; Hussein South Korea: Jo; Seol, Cho, Kwon, T. Lee; I. Hwang, Y. Park; Yang, K. Lee, H. Hwang; Son Form guide: Iraq Loss: Iraq 1-2 vs Palestine Draw: Iraq 2-2 Kuwait Loss: Iraq 1-3 Saudi Arabia Loss: Iraq 0-2 Bahrain Win: Iraq 1-0 Yemen Form Guide: South Korea Draw: South Korea 1-1 Jordan Draw: South Korea 1-1 Oman Draw: South Korea 1-1 Palestine Win: South Korea 3-1 Kuwait Win: South Korea 3-3 Iraq Head-to-Head Total Matches: 10 Iraq Wins: 1 South Korea wins: 6 Draws: 3 Iraq goals: 4 South Korea goals: 14 Where will Iraq vs South Korea can be live-streamed? Iraq vs South Korea will be available to watch live on Fancode for Indian audience.
New Indian Express
04-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Basil wins gold at World Para Athletics Grand Prix
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mohammad Basil has brought glory to the nation by clinching the gold medal in the 100M-T47 event at the prestigious World Para Athletics Grand Prix-Handisport Open Paris 2025 held in France. Basil, who trains at the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), in the capital delivered a stunning performance to secure the top spot in his category. Basil is currently training under the guidance of Sreenivasan, high performance coach, whose mentorship has been instrumental in shaping Basil's progress and international success. The World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Paris is a premier international competition attracting elite para-athletes from across the world. Officials at SAI LNCPE here extended their heartfelt congratulations to Basil, commending his dedication, discipline, and hard work.
